What is Shaken Baby Syndrome?

Each year in the United States alone, medical treatment is sought for an estimated 1,400-1,600 babies who have been shaken. Don’t let your child become just another statistic! Tell everyone who cares for your child “Never shake a baby!”

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Let us light the way for the future of Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness and Prevention

It is unfortunately no secret within the Shaken Baby Syndrome Community, that there are some who can not seem to agree or even agree to disagree.  We bring to you a campaign pledge for the interest we all share, the education and awareness of Shaken Baby Syndrome.

Each Survivor, each Angel, has a voice, and that voice is you.  No one could ever truly know how you feel, no one could ever truly tell you what path to take on this journey.  We all know that this is a preventable tragedy, and there is one thing we must do to continue forward with a mass, the world has never witnessed.

I am going to take this time to tell you what I am promising to everyone affected by Shaken Baby Syndrome.  My daughter Madilyne was an unfortunate victim taken too soon.  Many of you know our story and have learned throughout the years the struggles I have faced, the foundations that have crumbled under my feet, and the challenges I have taken on, because I know the most important task here is to strive to save the children of tomorrow.

Our Network started out with just 3 families back in 2007.  3 families.  Today we stand at over 50,000 families we have successfully been able to network with other families affected by Shaken Baby Syndrome as a resource for healing, learning, and the betterment of the lives of our Survivors.

The shackles are coming off, the walls are coming down.  I am 150% ready to take the restraints on my heart off, open the bandages to reveal the scars, and make myself 100% vulnerable to start this campaign.  The Network was built to be support provided by the families for the families of SBS.  It has done just that.  However, there has always been an understanding that the Network was not made to be the biggest, not made to be the best, and sure as heck not made to be an influence to enforce disagreements between families, organizations, or supporters.  The situation at hand is this.  You can come to the Network any time, day or night, and receive support.  I am the parent of a victim, and if you came with a Survivor whom was 14 years old having issues with development issues, I would not be the person for you to speak with, but I would find you someone with the closest situation as possible for resources and support to help you grow.

There will always be a great difference between families of Survivors and families of Victims.  However we must each understand the importance of not expecting either type to know how we feel, and we must never proclaim to understand what they're going through, because the truth is, we do not.  What we can do, is to support each other, and not lash out at each other just because we disagree on a topic, on an event, or on the "ethics" of an individual.  We have each walked a path that no one rightfully should.  All we need is each other, and to ensure we are connecting with those who can provide us with the comfort we are searching for.

We must make ourselves vulnerable, take off our shackles, and take down the walls so we can stand together as one, to make this cause of Shaken Baby Syndrome, powerful enough to take on the entire population of the world.  We must set our egos down, and know that no matter what someone else is doing, we are doing everything we can in our hearts, as we dream, without throwing backlash to anyone for what they do.  We must also face disagreements head on, face to face, and not create an under current of buzz about this person, that person, or organization.  Haven't we all been through enough?  How bad do we want the world to prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome?  How much of a strive can we take together to make this happen to paint the world blue in the month of April?

Set the disagreements down, I am not asking you to forget them, I am asking you to set them aside because the issue at hand is much larger than any disagreement or quarrel.  We can see the candle light from this post forward, and we can do so by ensuring the picture below is on every site, every social media outlet, blog, and postings.  If you agree to set down egos, disagreements, and hard feelings against each other in the SBS community, I am asking you to change your twitter profile picture, your blogger account picture, your Facebook picture, and so on to the picture below.  (Right click, save as, to save to your computer for upload)  Also please ensure to share this post with every family affected you know, for the origination of this pledge is simply a candle, lit as one, turned into a fire in all our eyes.

Please hold my hand, because together as an army of families affected, we together can make huge strides together, rather than alone.



All my love, thoughts, and prayers,
From all of us at, The Shaken Baby Syndrome Support Network

Monday, February 27, 2012

{ A Tribute to an Extraordinary Man }

In April 2011, families gathered from across the world in Sarasota, Florida for the 5th Annual Shaken Baby Syndrome Candlelight Vigil. Some came as far as London, England, in support of all the children and families whose lives have been devastated by Shaken Baby Syndrome.

Organizing this event each year is such a joy, and done through the eyes of Madilyne's Legacy, the Legacy that built the Shaken Baby Syndrome Support Network. Her Legacy began when just 4 families gathered together, hoping to meet others impacted by this horrible tragedy, in an effort to have someone there, that just might know or can try to understand "what its like"...

Have you ever met someone whose life has not been touched by Shaken Baby Syndrome, but they offer a support greater that they themselves could ever imagine? I have...

I remember in April being at my father's house with all the other families, and there was someone there that I was to meet for the first time. He was an attorney, who proclaimed to fight for our children.. With the background I come from, I have to be honest with you, if their name is followed or introduced with the word Attorney or Lawyer with it, I must say I am so very skeptical, because of the individual that traumatized me as a mother some 6 years ago, questioning the love I had for my child, simply because I did not refrigerate medication, that only needed to be for "better taste"...

I was so apprehensive.. I must admit, however in walks this man, flowers in hand, and the compassion that came from the introduction, can simply not be put into words. I had to know more, I had to know what this man is about. I had visited his website numerous times, read his Shaken Baby Syndrome Blog, found him via youtube, and the videos he made for our SBS Heroes.. but meeting him changed everything. Though his profession is an attorney/lawyer, he himself is so much more than that...


His name is Christopher Keane.  He has dedicated his life, his entire being, to protecting and finding justice for our heroes. If there is any word of expression past beyond the call of duty, he is that my friends.  Yes, he is an attorney, but he is an attorney who CARES.  Coming from a Mother, where trust in our legal system failed so many times, I can not display or begin to put into words how truly amazing this man is, and how many lives of those devastated by Shaken Baby Syndrome he has touched.

Why do I say this? He is not seeking answers from us.  He is seeking answers beyond us, for our children.  If he can, he will. If it can be done, you can count on him. He listens. He doesn't forget your child's name like many attorneys, he does not forget the day/time the tragic act against our heroes occurred. He comes to you. If he can do anything for you he will.  He gives advice from the heart, not a book.  Though very intelligent, he puts all of his learned knowledge to the side, to learn of the "real" act committed against our children, and though his life has fortunately not been touched by such a horrendous act, he is able to put himself in our shoes, even for a moment, to know what he himself would expect of an attorney/lawyer should he be in those shoes. Ever.

There is no one like him. Every client he has ever had, is never a client, but a life friend, whom he continually keeps in touch with beyond any trial, or judgement awarded in any case.  He is here for us. For our children.

Are you in the middle of, or preparing for trial? Need some advice from a friend, have concerns, or just need to talk to someone that will give you honesty and direction? Need help paying for those medical bills   or funds needed to care for your Survivor. He is here for us. He is on Facebook, Twitter.. He has a Blog, a Website, and you can even contact him now by clicking here.


If I can personally say anything about this man, let it be known.. Though our case has been long closed, without conviction, he has given me life, and hope that when this tragedy occurs, there is someone there for US, that has answers to all of our questions, whether he personally knows the answer himself, or can network us to someone that does. He has changed my life to know Madilyne's voice will never be silenced by an act of violence, and he carries in his heart her Legacy for her life to be known.










Chris, you are amazing beyond anything your being could ever show you. Thank you for what you have done for me, in my life, and for all of the families of Shaken Baby Syndrome.

With Love,
Rachel 
Mother to Madilyne Wentz